Button-fastener.



ENTED JAN. 16, 1905.

PAT-

J. G. MORRRON.

BUTTON PASTENER.

APPLIGATIOH FILED APR. 14, 1904-.

UNITED STATES Patented January 10, 1905.

JOHN C. MORRISON, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

BUTTON-FASTENER- ZLPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 779,864, dated January 10, 1905. Application filed April 14:, 1904;. Serial N0- 203,091.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J OHN O. IVIORRISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and Stateof Kentucky, have invented new and useful Improvements in Button-Fasteners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to button-fasteners, the object of the invention being to provide a simple and inexpensive article of this character which can be readily connected with a button in order to detachably unite the latter to a garment. I/Vhen the device is in its working position, it will hold the button firmly in place and with an equal pressure on the garment, so as not to injure the latter. The device is also arranged to be connected with buttons whose shanks vary in sizes.

I have selected for illustration in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, one simple and convenient form of the fastener, which I will set forth in detail in the following description. This fastener is an'effective substitute for the ordinary split rings used in connecting buttons to vests, coats, and like garments. I wish to state at this point that I do not limit myself to the exact disclosure made by said drawings and description, for certain changes may be adopted within the scope of my claims succeeding such description.

Referring to said drawings, Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of a fastener including my invention. Fig. 2 is a rear face view of the same with a button associated therewith, the button being shown as locked. Fig. 3 is a similar view with the fastener and button separated. Fig; i is a front face view of the fastener, showing the parts thereof in their unlocked or button-releasing relation.

Like characters refer to like parts throughout the different views.

The fastener, which may be made from brass, steel, or other material, may be plated, if desired, with nickel, silver, or some other metal. Said fastener, as shown, includes in its construction two disks or circular plates. WVhat might be properly termed the outer disk is denoted by 5, while the inner disk is designated by 6. The two disks are of concavo-convex form and the inner disk is thinner than and is crimped over the outer one, whereby the two disks are associated for turning movement of one with respect to the other. As a matter of fact each disk by this arrangement is adapted to turn with respect to its companion. Ordinarily, however, in applying or removing a button the inner disk is turned. When one of said disks is crimped over the other in the manner 'set forth, they will be combined in an effective manner. The two disks frictionally engage each other, so that when they are in locked relation they cannot be accidentally opened or moved to a button-releasing position. The frictional pressure, however, between the two parts is not sufficient to prevent the readymovement of one with respect to the other by manipulation in order to eflect the release of a button or the securing of the same. The outer disk is slotted, as at 7, the slot being of approximately fork form and its apex or notch being in proximity to the periphery of said outerdisk. The formation of this slot produces a tongue 8, rigid, of course, with said disk 5 and tapering toward its free end in order to properly pass through the eye of button-shanks of different sizes. To accommodate shanks of relatively large sizes, the inner terminal portions of the branches of the fork-shaped slot 7 are widened or laterally offset in order to properly receive such large shanks. The slot 7 is so formed that the resultant tongue 8 and the butt thereof are located eccentrically with respect to the outer disk 5, whereby when the button is united to the fastener said two last-mentioned parts are eccentrically connected. The inner disk 6 has a segmental slot 9, the curved wall of which is adjacent the periphery of said inner disk 6, while the inclined portions of said slot 9 converge toward the opposite side of said periphery.

l/Vhen the two disks are in a position for connection of the fastener with the shank of a button, the tongue 8 will substantially bisect the segmental slot 9, at which time the free end of the tongue will extend short of the-outer curved portion of the said slot 9 a distance sufficient to accommodate the shank of a button. To connect a button of the gar- IOO ment, the shank thereof will be passed through an eyelet in such garment and the shank will be introduced into the outer portions of the two slots 7and 9, with the eye of the shank in line with the free portion of the tongue 8, so that said tongue can be introduced into said eye. When the tongue is introduced into the eye, the inner disk 6 is turned so as to cause the tongue 8 to extend across the solid portion of the inner disk 6. The tongue 8 is of course somewhat resilient or springy, and as it moves in contact with the solid portion of the disk 6 it will firmly and fixedly engage the same, so as to prevent absolutely separation of the button from the fastener. This result of course is aided by the frictional engagement between the solid portions of both disks, whereby when the fastener is in its effective position the button will be securely held.

By virtue of the eccentricity of the tongue 8 a considerable portion of the length of said tongue will be caused to overlap the solid portion of the inner disk 6 when the fastener is in its working position, so that the stress or pressure applied by the button to the tongue is transmitted by the latter to the said solid portion to prevent buckling or bending of said tongue.

By reason of the tapering of the tongue 8 from its butt toward the free end thereof said tongue is adapted to accommodate shanks of Varying sizes.

1 have hereinbefore described the manner of connecting a button with a garment. To disconnect the button from the garment, the inner disk 6 will be turned, say, by the right hand, while the button is held in the left hand, in order to carry the free portion of the tongue 8 from off the solid portion of said disk 6, the movement being continued until the tongue again approximately bisects the segmental slot 9, at which point the shank of the button can be slipped from off the tongue and removed from the two registering or coinciding slots.

It will be obvious from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings accompanying same, that my improved button-fastener has two circular concentric plates, one of which has a tongue and the other of which has a slot, the two plates being associated for the turning of one with respect to the other on an axis passing through the common center of said plates to cause the free portion of said tongue to overlie the solid portion of the slotted plate.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A button-fastener having two circular concentric plates, one of which has a tongue, and the other of which has a slot, the two plates being associated for the turning of one with respect to the other on an axis passing through the common center of said plates to cause the tree portion of the tongue to overlie the solid portion of the slotted plate.

2. A button-fastener having two circular plates, one of which has a tongue rigidly associated therewith and the other of which has a slot, one of said plates being crimped over the other for assembling them for turning movement and for causing the free portion of said tongue to ride onto or off of the solid portion of the slotted plate.

3. A button-fastener having two circular concentric plates, one of which has an eccentricallydisposed tongue rigidly associated therewith, and the other of which has aslot, the two plates being associated for the turning of one with respect to the other on an axis passing through the common center of said plates to cause the free end of the tongue to overlie the solid portion of the slotted plate.

4. Abutton-fastener having two plates, one of which has a substantially fork-shaped slot, to thereby form a tongue, and the other of which has a substantially segmental slot, the two plates being suitably associated for the turning movement of one with respect to the other, to thereby cause the tongue to substantially bisect the slot or to engage the solid portion of the segmentally-slotted plate.

5. A button-fastener having two plates, one of which has a substantially fork-shaped slot, thereby forming a tapered tongue, the terminal portions of the branches of the slot being laterally widened, and the other plate having an approximately segmental slot, said plates being associated for turning movement of one with respect to the other, to cause the free portion of said tongue to ride onto or off of the solid portion of the segmentally-slotted plate.

in testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOHN G. MORRISON.

Witnesses:

Enw. F. HoRNUNe, W. L. HALL. 

